Bolton-le-Sands restaurant break-in causes major damage

Miaitalia in Bolton-le-Sands

Published:13:54Friday 13 January 2017

Thieves caused thousands of pounds worth of damage after breaking into a restaurant in Bolton-le-Sands.

Doors and windows were smashed and broken during the raid on Mia Italia, in Bye-pass Road, sometime between 10.30pm and 11.30pm on Wednesday, January 11. Owner David Waddington said several hundred pounds in cash was also stolen from a safe and cash till in the restaurant. First floor offices were also broken into, but nothing was taken.

The damage at Miaitalia

Other businesses in Morecambe reported break-ins in the early hours of Thursday morning, January 12.

Lisa Byron, from LZ Boutique in Marine Road Central, Morecambe, said thieves had tried to break into her shop.

She said on the business’ Facebook page: “Thankfully they have only smashed a small window which is being replaced.

“I don’t know how they even thought they were going to get in with me having Steel bars on the door and window’s, plus a very loud alarm and CCTV installed.”

“They have also tried next door, broken their locks, security lighting and have also broken into another business in Morecambe.

“This has all happened between the hours of 2am and 3am this morning.

“Police have been informed.”

Mr Waddington said: “It’s not the best start to the new year.

“Staff locked up at 10.30pm and the alarm was activated at 11.30pm, so within an hour of closing we’d been broken into.

“We have offices above the restaurant, two of which are occupied, and they were broken into as well.

“They broke in through double glazed windows and used a crowbar to get into individual offices.

“They left computers, phones, iPads, and then went down into the restaurant and smashed two glass windows, went into the open kitchen area, found the safe and cash drawer and took those.

“It’s caused around £3,000 of damage, and several hundred pounds in cash was taken.

“The damage far outweighed the money taken.

“We suspected that they had come from the back of the building as there were muddy footprints.”

Mr Waddington said the break in was discovered at 9am the next morning.

He added: “There’s still a lot of repairs to do but we re-opened on Thursday afternoon.”